What's New in the FAA

FAA Sets Platform, Plans Statehouse Visits

Members of the Florida Apartment Association established four 2016 priorities at their annual legislative platform meeting in October. The annual platform meeting is an opportunity for apartment owners, managers, and other industry professionals to meet and discuss the legislative and regulatory issues that affect their business, and decide on what priorities to pursue in the coming legislative session.

The priorities are to:

Support expansion of repairs certified maintenance professionals are permitted to perform.

Support clarification of renters insurance requirements.

Support full funding of the Sadowski Affordable Housing Trust Fund.

Oppose landlord-tenant law changes that would create criminal penalties for apartment landlords.

FAA supports Senate Bill 704 and House Bill 535, which expand the allowable repairs maintenance professionals can perform. Apartment communities rely on maintenance professionals to perform a variety of repairs each day, and currently maintenance workers in Florida are restricted from performing many basic repairs to heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and water heating systems. SB 704/HB 535 allow maintenance workers holding a Certificate for Apartment Maintenance Technicians (CAMT) to perform these types of repairs, which are often urgently needed on-site. Hiring a licensed contractor can increase the cost of repairs and result in delays. This bill will allow trained professionals to perform on-site work quickly and safely, while saving apartment owners costly contractor costs.

FAA is working with multiple stakeholders to protect apartment owners and residents by clarifying renters insurance requirements by supporting Senate Bill 342 and House Bill 237.This legislation will allow apartment owners to include lease addendums that would advise residents of the importance of insurance and require them to carry insurance. The clause clarifies that residents and their belongings are not covered by the apartment owner’s insurance policy. By clarifying the law, this legislation will help protect both residents and owners from future legal entanglements.

FAA is committed to full funding of the Sadowski Affordable Housing Trust Fund. FAA is a member of the Sadowski Coalition, a housing advocacy group of 30 business and nonprofit partners in Florida that lobby for affordable housing funding in the state budget annually. In 2015, FAA helped to secure $175 million in funding. Affordable housing funds come from ‘’doc stamp’’ revenue (taxes on real estate transactions) and are distributed by the state in the form of loans. These loans are used to build new housing to serve Florida’s most vulnerable populations — including veterans, senior citizens, people with disabilities, and homeless people — as well as to refurbish aging affordable housing units. According to the Sadowski Coalition, the loans create 32,600 jobs and $4.6 billion in positive economic impact annually. These loans also help to alleviate the need for increased inclusionary zoning measures.

FAA is opposed to Senate Bill 474 and House Bill 053 which would establish criminal penalties for apartment owners and employees who do not meet the maintenance requirements specified in CH 83.51-83.59. SB 474/HB 053 would greatly alter Florida landlord-tenant law by creating criminal penalties, as opposed to civil penalties, for any person who has violated the premises maintenance section of CH 83. If enacted, this legislation would allow a landlord or apartment employee to be charged with a misdemeanor for the first offence and subsequently a felony if standards of annual repairs and pest control are not met.

According to the state Department of Corrections and statute 775.083, a third-degree felony is punishable by up to five years in prison and/or a $5,000 fine. A first degree misdemeanor is punishable by a fine of up to $1,000. FAA is committed to keeping criminal penalties for landlords and apartment employees out of landlord-tenant law.

FAA is committed to member-driven advocacy and will continue to monitor any issues affecting the apartment industry in Florida. To learn more about FAA’s priorities and to assist in our grassroots lobbying efforts, please join FAA this January to promote our legislative priorities in Tallahassee. You will have the opportunity to learn more about all of the issues affecting our industry, meet with state lawmakers, and network with your peers.

Legislative Days Registration Is Open

Please join FAA as we travel to Tallahassee for the 2016 Legislative Conference January 26 and 27. Make plans to join your peers and friends from across the state as we team up again for our journey to the state capital. This annual visit is extremely important, as it helps secure our grassroots lobbying base and promote our industry's legislative priorities.

Registration fee of $115 includes the legislative briefing, reception, and dinner with guest speakers. Deadline for the conference registration and hotel room reservations is Wednesday, January 13, 2016.

Please contact Courtney Barnard, FAA government affairs director, at courtney@faahq.org if you have any questions. See you in Tallahassee!

FCAA Gathers Food for Needy

The First Coast Apartment Association (FCAA) conducted its annual canned food drive to help tackle hunger in Northeast Florida "As an organization we believe that what we do every day matters. The apartment industry strives to make a positive impact in the community. The annual food drive reconfirms that commitment," said Holly Fox, FCAA board member and co-chair for the drive.

Collection boxes were set up in apartment communities and offices to collect canned food for the Clara White Mission. FCAA members and community residents are encouraged to contribute to this worthy cause.

"We encourage all FCAA associate and community members to make this important endeavor a success by donating and urging residents to help take up the fight against hunger. The canned food drive is a simple but effective way to tackle hunger here at home," said co-chair Shannon Gregory, regional director at WRH Realty Services.

FCAA volunteers picked up donations and delivered them to the Clara White Mission.

"The apartment industry canned food drive is a great example of how to step up to recognize and serve a real need in the community," noted Clara White Mission CEO/President Ju’Coby Pittman. "Hunger is an everyday reality for some and the apartment industry should be proud of this annual project."

Founded in 1979, the FCAA serves the apartment industry in Duval, Clay, St. Johns, Flagler, Putnam, and Nassau Counties. FCAA’s mission is to promote, inform and serve the apartment industry through education, legislation, and professional networking.

AAGO Foundation Launches Toy Drive at "Thanks for Giving" Luncheon

The AAGO Foundation kicked off the association’s annual toy drive at the Thanks for Giving Luncheon on November 13. This year’s toy drive will once again benefit Toys for Tots.

Members are welcome to bring new and unwrapped toys (no stuffed animals please) to the AAGO headquarters (340 N. Maitland Ave., Maitland, FL 32751) through December 15.

"Our members are always excited to kick off the holiday season with our annual toy drive," said Desiree Starr, who serves as AAGO’s senior vice president and the AAGO Foundation's secretary/treasurer. "We hope the gifts we collect will bring the spirit of the holiday season to children in need here in Central Florida."

The toy drive is just one of the many ways the AAGO Foundation gives back to the local community. The mission of the AAGO Foundation is to work with three specific demographics: the homeless, veterans reintegrating into the workforce, and teens aging out of foster care. Since 2013, the AAGO Foundation has raised funds to help area organizations that serve these demographics.

What's New Around the State

Market Report

PANHANDLE

Luxury apartment complex targets spring completion

NAVARRE — As the Navarre community continues to rapidly grow, a new luxury apartment complex aims to fill some of the community’s needs. The Sound on Navarre Beach, which is actually off of Navarre Parkway with views of the Gulf of Mexico and Santa Rosa Sound, is a 250-unit complex featuring one, two and three bedroom apartments starting at $1,085 for a one-bedroom, $1,370 for two-bedroom and $1,600 for three-bedroom. Read more.

CENTRAL FLORIDA

UCF Downtown reveals cost of new apartments, parking garage

UCF Downtown has more than just its $60 million academic building on the line. The University of Central Florida also has plans for a 300-bed student housing complex, a 600-space parking garage, and a heat and power plant — all that serve an integral part in the overall success of the first phase of the proposed $207 million downtown Orlando campus. All, which also, pose multimillion-dollar construction opportunities for local firms. Read more.

Orlando Suburb Getting High-End MF

ORLANDO—Integra Lakes at Concord Village, a luxury multifamily community in the Orlando suburb of Casselberry, just broke ground. LandSouth Construction is building the $19 million multifamily project using its integrated construction approach where each service component works together to provide a seamless delivery system. Developed by Lake Mary, FL-based Integra Land Company, the apartment project sits on 7.5 acres. Associated Consulting International architected the 203-unit, 284,628-square-foot multifamily project. Amenities include a pool, outdoor area for grilling, fitness center with club room, business center and Wi-Fi lounge. LandSouth is currently working throughout the Southeastern US on apartments and mixed use developments in Boynton Beach, Delray Beach, Sanford, Jacksonville, Davenport, Odessa and Orlando, Mount Pleasant, SC and senior housing in Bonita Springs, FL. Read more.

Promise in Brevard breaks ground on apartments

WEST MELBOURNE — Promise in Brevard hosted a groundbreaking ceremony for a $15.8 million inventive apartment complex for special-needs adults in West Melbourne. Workers will construct a trio of three-story buildings containing 51 one-, two-, three- and four-bedroom apartments just north of the Hammock Landing shopping center. Read more.

Developers close on land in hear of Maitland for $67M project with apartments, shops

In late October, developers purchased 3.2 acres in the heart of Maitland for a $67 million apartment and shopping project. The sale price was $4.2 million. Read more.

Orlando’s multifamily market is in the midst of a golden era of sorts, as it sits squarely at the intersection of strong employment growth, an increasing population, a major demographic shift and a variation in lifestyle preferences. Together, these factors provide a tremendous tailwind for future strength in the local apartment market. While the national multifamily market continues to perform at a high level, Orlando is starting to show up on the radar of more institutional investors due to its recent outperformance and tremendous growth prospects.According to recent data from MPF Research, Orlando is on pace to see 5.6 percent rent growth in 2015, followed by 4.7 percent growth in 2016. Read more.

BAY AREA

Lloyd Jones Capital Purchases 432-Unit Apartment Community in St. Petersburg

Multifamily investment firm of Lloyd Jones Capital has closed on Palmway Village, a 432-unit apartment complex in St. Petersburg, FL. Located at 411 77th Ave North, the property consists of 12 apartment buildings, two pools, a fitness center and library on 15 landscaped acres. Read more.

New mixed-use development in the works in Seminole Heights

The developer behind the Warehouse Lofts in Seminole Heights is zeroing in on a nearby site for his next project — a mixed-use building at the corner of North Florida and East Wilder avenues.

Wesley Burdette said Tuesday he is under contract to acquire the .87-acre site at 5023 N. Florida Ave., where he'll demolish the old warehouse on the site and build a five-story apartment building with ground-level retail and a rooftop lounge. Like the Warehouse Lofts, it will include an on-site dog park. Read more.

TRI-CITY AREA

Apartment complex going up on Cattlemen

SARASOTA COUNTY - Southwest Florida’s rental crunch is poised to get some much-needed relief. Crews have begun clearing trees from a 32.5-acre tract of vacant property along Cattlemen Road, bordering Interstate 75 to the east and Proctor Road to the south, where 360 apartment units are planned. Read more.

SOUTHEAST FLORIDA

SunTrust funds $42M for affordable apartment development in Miami

The Richman Group secured $42 million in financing to build the Allapattah Trace Apartments in Miami with help from SunTrust Community Capital. The 77-unit affordable apartment project is under construction at Northwest 17th Avenue and Northwest 34th Street. Read more.

Lincoln Property Co. pays $89M for Plantation apartments

Dallas, Texas-based Lincoln Property Co. has added a Broward apartment community to its portfolio for $88.6 million. An affiliate of the multifamily developer and operator acquired the 376-unit complex, St. Tropez at Plantation, from BIT Investment Twenty-Five LLC. The seller is tied to PNC Capital Advisors, Broward County records show. The property, at 8000 Cleary Boulevard, covers nearly 40 acres in Plantation. Read more.

Apartment building in Miami Beach’s South of Fifth faces foreclosure

Miami Beach’s South of Fifth neighborhood has become a trendy spot for condo development and restaurants, but one apartment building has missed out on the boom and could be seized in foreclosure.

SHE DDF1-FL1 LLC, an affiliate of Miami Beach-based Safe Harbor Equity Managers, filed a foreclosure lawsuit on Nov. 2 against TwoFifty Collins LLC. It targets the 28-unit building at 250 and 260 Collins Ave. Read more.

North Miami sells 55 acres to Biscayne Landing developers

A joint venture between the Soffer and LeFrak real estate families has closed on a $22 million deal to buy 55 acres of land from the city of North Miami. The deal is part of a plan to redevelop the 183-acre site formerly known as Biscayne Landing and now called SoLe Mia. The first phase of the project will include two 200-unit rental buildings, a 10-acre swimming lagoon and a retail center. It will ultimately include 4,000 residential units, one million square feet of commercial and office space, 37 acres of parks and a hotel, and could take 15 years and between $3 billion and $4 billion to build. Read more here.

Hollywood approves partnership with Pinnacle for senior housing

The City of Hollywood approved a public private partnership on Tuesday with Pinnacle Housing Group to build a senior housing project. The Miami-based developer plans to purchase or lease the property on the south side of Adams Street just west of Dixie Highway from the city and its community redevelopment agency. It plans to build 100 units of affordable senior housing, for those ages 55 and up with area median income of no more than 60 percent. The project would feature a clubhouse, fitness center, cyber café, and game rooms. Read more here.

Wawa and senior housing plans on newly acquired site in Parkland

A commercial development group bought a vacant property in Parkland out of foreclosure for $8.5 million and plans to build a Wawa convenience store and senior housing. Miami-based Banif Finance (USA) Corp. seized the 11.2-acre site at 7207 North State Road 7/U.S. 441 in 2012 after foreclosing on the $7.5 million mortgage of Millennium 441. BFBMF Parkland, an affiliate of Banif Finance, recently sold the property to EP Lox LLC, a joint venture Aventura-based Elion Partners and Preferred Developers. A spokesman for EL Lox LLC said that a 170-unit senior housing facility is planned behind the Wawa. Read more.

Hunt Mortgage Group Refinances a Multifamily Property Located in Miami, Florida

Hunt Mortgage Group, a leader in financing commercial real estate throughout the United States, announced today that it has provided a $3.6 million Fannie Mae loan facility to refinance a multifamily property located in Miami, Florida. Garcia Apartments is located at 2150 NW 9th Street and consists of one four-story building that contains 62 units. The building was developed in 1973 on a 1.32 acre, parcel of land with 48,512 square feet of rentable space. Read more.

Fairfield pays $88M for two Broward apartment communities

Affiliates of Fairfield Residential, a California real estate company that specializes in multifamily properties, just paid $88 million for two apartment communities in Broward County. The sale breaks down to $44.8 million for the Water’s Edge at Welleby Apartments in Sunrise, located at 10901 Northwest 40th Street, and $43.225 million for the Southern Point Apartments in Plantation, at 8080 Northwest 10th Court. Read more.

Carroll Organization and PCCP Acquires 260-Unit Luxury Apartment Community in South Florida

Carroll Organization announced today that it has formed a joint venture with PCCP, LLC and Silverpeak Real Estate Partners for the acquisition of Pineapple Cove, a 260-unit apartment community located in Jensen Beach, FL. Following Carroll’s ARIUM brand, Pineapple Cove will be rebranded as ARIUM Jensen Beach and managed by Carroll Management Group. Read more here.

If you are an employee of an apartment community, management company, or supplier company that is a member of any FAA affiliate, we invite you to set up an online account to:

Become a Member

If you are an employee of an apartment community, management company, or supplier company that is NOT currently a member, we invite you to join one of our 11 local affiliates across the state of Florida:

Your company can become a member of FAA by joining an affiliated apartment association in the location you do business. When you join one of our local affiliates, you automatically become a member of the Florida Apartment Association.